Denmark Industrial and Logistics ViewPoint - When products are taking a U-turn - September 2016

•Reverse logistics is the backward flow of what we all wish would be a forward-only process. Retailer’s ability to master returns has a direct impact on the costs of doing business.

•E-commerce is growing in popularity all around the world; specifically, Danes purchased items worth approximately EUR 6.7 billion online in H1 20161, a growth of almost 15% from the same period last year. The total 2016 e-commerce volume is expected to reach EUR 13.4 billion (EUR 10.4 billion in 2015). With the volume of online shopping growing at a rapid pace, the number of returns is increasing.

•According to the Danish E-Commerce Association (FDIH), in 2015 some 2.5% of online purchased goods were sent back. In the ‘Clothes, Shoes and Jewellery’ category, the return rate increases to 4.6%.